Airliners.net

Virgin America had plans to add nonstop service to Houston and Phoenix from San Francisco and Los Angeles prior to its merger with Alaska Airlines. However, Alaska Airlines has not yet announced any new nonstop service from Houston or Phoenix to any of its California destinations. Will Alaska Airlines add nonstop service from Houston Intercontinental or Phoenix Sky Harbor to San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego?

I think they would add PDX-IAH first.

Possibly if the market is good.

It has been discussed in the PHX forum, the 175's open this opportunity.
I'm expecting 2x or 3x SFO and lax on the 175's (maybe even on VX if we get lucky) and possibly 1x SAN

PHX from SFO and/or SJC is not if just when, and HOU/IAH from SFO is a stretch unless they want to take on WN HOU-OAK and especially UA IAH-SFO, but maybe IAH-SJC could be feasible. There are more positive routes with better outlooks than SJC-IAH, so those may be added first (like PHX-SJC!).

The PHX routes wouldn't surprise me as AS only can offer AS* on AA's PHX-secondary cities. (SJC not SFO, SNA not LAX).
Houston is going to take longer, I think, between the ability to codeshare nonstop on AA and the steep competition with UA.

As others have said I think PHX to SFO/SJC and LAX are soon to come thanks to the E175 at QX/OO. IAH would probably require a mainline aircraft and that's something AAG won't have to spare in 2017. Replacing the 734's is the priority of new deliveries on the AS side of the operation. The few 321 NEO's coming on line already have destinations assigned. All of the other mainline VX adds have come from optimizing aircraft utilization with its existing fleet. Once AS gets into full on expansion mode next year things should get really interesting! Stay tuned!

I would think PDX-IAH has to be on the short list. They already do PDX-AUS and PDX-DFW with 175's.

JayWings wrote:

As others have said I think PHX to SFO/SJC and LAX are soon to come thanks to the E175 at QX/OO. IAH would probably require a mainline aircraft and that's something AAG won't have to spare in 2017. Replacing the 734's is the priority of new deliveries on the AS side of the operation. The few 321 NEO's coming on line already have destinations assigned. All of the other mainline VX adds have come from optimizing aircraft utilization with its existing fleet. Once AS gets into full on expansion mode next year things should get really interesting! Stay tuned!

Alaska has plans to receive at least 51 additional new 737 aircraft, including 37 new 737 MAX airplanes. Alaska Airlines could add SFO-IAH and LAX-IAH nonstops using Alaska's Boeing 737 planes once Alaska receives additional 737 planes.

Why would they? If AS is going to fly anywhere else from Houston, it will be Portland and thats it.

LAXdude1023 wrote:

Why would they? If AS is going to fly anywhere else from Houston, it will be Portland and thats it.

Disagree. AS has a history of connecting each hub with the top 10-20 markets, which means IAH may see service from LAX and SFO as well as PDX.

I have to agree with EA CO AS, those responsible for running this amazing carrier, are acutely aware of what they are doing, by setting out to be the West Coast "go to" carrier.

The long road will have challenges, but the easiest way in, is to offer the top markets from your hubs. I guarantee you will see more adds from SAN, LAX, SJC, SFO, PDX, SEA & ANC coming for the next couple of years, as aircraft flow in faster than those that are exiting the fleet.

This is the most exciting part of the AS story. I personally never, in 100 years, would have thought that the carrier I started flying on back in 1978, when their only lower 48 route was PDX-SEA, would be the carrier they are today.

With the exception of SI decades ago & now VX, all that growth has been organic. I think it's a good story of survival of the fittest.

I fly to SFO 3-4 times a year. I'd love to have an option other than United. WN at Oakland isn't an option for me. Wrong side of the Bay and no assigned seats.

SEA-LGB?

It will be added, but not so sure it will be that quick. PHX is pretty competitve to the bay area with AA, UA, SW. Frontier and allegiant from Mesa. Actually Houston either airport is probably less competitive.

I would love to see more service at DEN too. If AS wants to win the west, they would be smart to beef up schedules in places like DEN and PHX if they want to be serious about serving the top markets from all their coastal hubs.

As it stands now, AS+VX has a remarkably small presence at DEN. Several flights to SEA, 3x service to SFO that only started relatively recently, and still no return of PDX. LAX was mentioned as a destination from DEN shortly before AS bought VX as well.